Hydraulic switch operating means



Dec. 7, 1954 H. F. BURMEISTER 2,696,030

HYDRAULIC swrrca OPERATING MEANS Filed May 23, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Ho ARD F BURMEISTER Dec. 7, 1954 H. F. BURMEISTER 2,696,080

HYDRAULIC SWITCH OPERATING MEANS Filed May 23, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 "will? I. Nil IHHIIIIEILHIII mul -mm l HbWARD FBuR ISTER 1954 H. F. BURMEISTER 2,696,080

HYDRAULIC SWITCH OPERATING MEANS Filed na 25, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet :5

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79 Home!) E BuRM TER United States Patent HYDRAULIC SWITCH OPERATING MEANS Howard F. Burmeister, Chicago, Ill., assignor to'Royal Electric Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application May 23, 1952, Serial No. 289,646

24 Claims. 01. 60-52) This invention relates to hydraulic mechanisms such as are used for supplying oil or other liquid under pressure for operating hydraulic devices.

In a hydraulic power transmission system, it is customary to provide a pump which draws liquid from a tank or reservoir and forces it under pressure through a line that leads to a hydraulic mechanism to be driven thereby, and it is customary to provide a return line for the flow of return liquid from the hydraulic mechanism to the reservoir from which the pump has drawn the liquid. Such a system is generally a closed system. It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide for such a system a pump mechanism including a valve that can be operated selectively to any one of a number of positions which include one position wherein it makes. one of the lines a supply line and the othera return line, and an alternate position wherein it reverses that arrangement, and one or more additional or intermediate positions wherein either the'supply line or the return line, or both, are completely closed against the flow of liquid therethrough, thereby locking the system against operation.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a valve of the above mentioned character which is located in a position convenient to an operating handle of the pump so that an operator in a position convenient to operate the pump handle is also in a position convenient to operate the valve.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a pump of the above-mentioned character wherein the control valve is so located as to require minimum or no lengths of supply tubing for interconnecting the valve with the pump cylinder on the one hand and the two supply lines on the other. This is of importance in dealing with a hydraulic system that operates at very high pressure in that it reduces the number of places where leaks can develop.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a pump mechanism wherein the valve control handle and the piston operating handle are so related that one of the two may easily be locked against operation and when thus locked can lock the other against operation. By this arrangement the valve handle can be placed in any desired position and then, locking of the pump handle locks the valve handle automatically in its set position.

In the operation of the valve of the present invention in combination with a pump or fluid system that is at a very high pressure, the force required to turn the valve may become considerable. It is therefore desirable, in accordance with the present invention, to provide a suitable anti-friction bearing, preferably a ball bearing, for

taking the thrust of the hydraulic pressure against a valve disc held against a stationary valve seat. Since this thrust varies as a function of the pressure per square inch multiplied by the number of square inches against which the pressure is exerted, it is desirable that the area against which the pressure is or may be exerted shall be maintained at a minimum. One Way of maintaining this pressure at a minimum is by providing means for assuring a firm surface to surface contact of the high pressure side of the valve disc with the valve seat. Since the ball hearing is on the opposite side of the valve disc, it is important that the ball bearing races be at precisely the required spacing. This is true because a slight increase in the spacing of the races may permit a small axial movement of the valve disc, thereby exposing a larger area of the disc to the high fluid pressure. High precision fabrication of ball races is, of course, expensive. It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a pump construction in which one of the ball races may be formed by operation of the valve and the ball races may be adjusted toward and away from one another by a simple turning of one or more tightening nuts controlling the spacing of the ball races to maintain the ball races the requisite distance apart. In the preferred construction the valve disc and the valve element on the other side of the balls, in one instance a cover, are made of dissimilar metals, one of which is appreciably softer than the other. A half ball race is initially formed in the hard metal and no ball race is initially formed in the soft metal. The structure is assembled with hard steel ball bearings located in the half race. Thereafter, the two members are progressively forced toward one another and the valve disc is turned. Turning of the valve disc accompanied by the tightening of the valve cover towards the discs causes the balls to form a groove or ball race in the soft metal. This then retains the assembly at proper pressure of the valve disc against its seat.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a pump mechanism that can be assembled as a unit for insertion into an oil tank or reservoir, with the upper portion of the unit above the tank, and wherein the assembled unit can readily be removed from the tank as may be required for inspection or repair of the unit.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a pump unit of the above mentioned character which can easily be gasketed against leakage at high pressures involved.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a pump mechanism of the above mentioned character which is simple and economical in both construction and operation and which can stand for long periods of time, even years, without being operated and which, wheln needed, will certainly operate smoothly and effective y.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a pumping mechanism and valve head wherein the seal against leakage at the supply and return portions of the pump can be maintained over prolonged periods of time whether the pump is or is not being operated.

The attainment of the above and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a front view of a hydraulic mechanism embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top view thereof;

Figure 3 is a side view thereof;

Figure 4 is an enlarged, longitudinal, sectional view of the pump mechanism;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 6 is a sectional view of the pump and valve body taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a sectional view of the mechanism which is a view on a line corresponding to the line 6-6 of Figure 4 but looking in the opposite direction and showing the bottom of the valve disc;

Figure 8 is a partially sectioned view of the mechanism taken along the line 88 of Figure 2; and

hole closed by a threaded vent plug 6. The top 5 also has a circular opening through which a pump and valve body 10 is inserted, the pump and valve body resting on the top 5 and being bolted thereto in a manner to be more fully set forth as this description proceeds. All of the pumping mechanism is carried by the pump and valve 3 body 1t"; so that said body 10 may be assembled outside of the tank and then be positioned therein.

The pump and valve body 10 (Fig. 4) has a unitary casting which includes a hollow body portion 15 and a head 18. The hollow body portion 15 includes a cylindrical bore 2i that opens into a counterbore 22 in the head 18. The cylindrical bore 29 constitutes the piston cylinder. The lower end of the bore 20 is threaded and is closed by a one-way suction valve 24 that threads thereinto by means of threads 26. An intake tube 28 is secured to the suction valve and extends towards the bottom of the tank. The suction valve 24 has therein a ball 30 normally urged by a spring 32 to a position closing an intake port 34, and is opened against the action of the spring by suction produced in the cylinder 20 by a pump piston 36 in the usual manner. The pump piston 36 mounted on the end of a reciprocating piston rod 38 reciprocates in the pump cylinder 20. The piston is held on the piston rod by a one-way discharge valve 40, the shank of which extends through a bore in the piston 36 and is threaded into a tapped bore in the piston rod, and the head of which bears against the bottom of a counterbore in the piston. The discharge valve has a longitudinal bore therein terminating at its top in a valve seat on which is seated a ball 42 that is held down by a spring 44 that maintains the top of the bore closed at all times except when there is sufficiently greater pressure in the portion ofthe cylinder below the piston than above the piston to unseat the ball 42. The bore in the valve 40 opens into a bore 36 at the bottom of the piston rod 38, which bore 46 communicates with the portion of the cylinder above the piston by way of two cross holes 48 at right angles to one another.

A collar 5d surrounds the top of the piston rod 33 and seals the piston rod by means of an O ring 52. The collar 51 extends into the counterbore 22 in the pump and valve body and makes a liquid sealing fit therewith by an ring 54. The collar 50 rests on a shoulder 55 in the pump and valve body, and has at the periphery thereof a number of axially extending slots 5656 that open at their lower ends in the pump cylinder 20 and at their upper ends communicate with a peripheral groove 58 in the collar b, which peripheral groove 58 in turn communicates with a port 60 in the pump and valve body. The port 60 is closed at its outer end by a plug 62, and communicates with a discharge port 64 and a relief port 66. The discharge port 64 extends to a cylindrical valve chamber 68 at the upper end of the pump and valve body while the port 66 communicates through a ball check valve 70 with a relief port 72 that opens back into the tank 2. A spring 74 maintains the ball 70 seated on its port until the hydraulic pressure against the check valve 70 exceeds the setting of the spring. Such required hydraulic pressure may be of the order of one thousand pounds per square inch. The valve body has a return bore 76, which is 180 from the port 64 and has two additional longitudinal bores 77 and 78 (Fig. 6) spaced 180 from one another and midway between the bores 64 and 76. The bores 77 and 78 extend only part way through the valve body and communicate with ports 79 and 80, respectively, which in turn communicate with hydraulic lines 81 and 82, respectively.

A circular valve disc 84 is seated in the valve chamber 63 and fits closely therein, being sealed thereto by an O ring 85. The bottom of the valve disc is flat and rests on 0 rings or gaskets 87-87 in the bottom of the valve chamber in the valve body, and compresses the gaskets 8737 to positions flush with the bottom of the valve chamber. The valve disc has a central bore through which the piston rod 38 may slide freely. A set of axial ports 8686 (Figs. 6 and 7) extend upwardly from the bottom of the valve disc into the valve disc and are maintained in communication by a cross bore 88 the end of which is closed by a plug 90. A similar set of ports 9292 extends from the bottom of the valve disc into the valve disc and are maintained in communication by a cross bore 94 the end of which is closed by a plug 96. The four ports 8686 and 92-92 are placed 90 from one another and are exactly the same spacing apart as are the ports 64, 77, 76 and 78.

The upper face 96 of the valve disc 84 has a circular ball race 98 (Fig. 4) therein forming a seat for a number of ball bearings 100-100 on which rests a valve cover 1&2. The valve disc has an integrally formed, centrally located circular neck 104 that extends through the cover and has a bore therein through which the piston rod is mounted sl'idab'ly. The cover 102 is made of metal, for instance, brass, which is softer than the ball bearings 100, which are of steel, and softer than the valve disc, which also is of steel. The valve cover is bolted to the pump and valve body 10 by eight uniformly spaced bolts 106-106 with the heads of the bolts resting on the valve cover. The shanks of alternate ones of the bolts 1061il6 terminate within the pump and valve body and the shanks of the other bolts 106 extend through the pump and valve body and thread into the top 5 of the tank 2 for holding the pump assembly on the tank. The upper portion of the neck 104 (Fig. 8) has two flats formed thereon for facilitating turning of the valve disc. A valve handle 110 fits over the neck 164 and interlocks with the flats on the neck for turning of the neck and thereby turning the valve disc 84. Two screws 112-112 thread into the top of the neck 11M in such a location that the heads of the screws overhang the handle 110 and thus prevent lifting of the handle from the neck. In the initial construction of the pump, the valve cover 102 is not provided with a race for the ball bearings ltitL-ltit). This race is subsequently formed by drawing up on the bolts 106-136 that secure the valve cover in place, thereby firmly drawing the valve cover towards the valve disc to cause the ball bearings 10fi1.t1t) to deform the softer metal of the valve cover, and at the same time the handle 110 is turned to turn the valve disc, thereby causing the ball bearings 100-100 to roll the upper ball race in the bottom surface of the valve cover.

The valve cover 102 includes a pair of upwardly extending pump handle-receiving arms 118-1118 between which a pump handle 120 is pivoted by a pivot pin 122. The pump handle is connected with the piston rod 38 (Fig. 2) of the pump by a pair of short connecting links 124-124 that are pivoted at their upper ends on opposite sides of the handle 120 by a pivot pin 126 and at their lower ends embrace the top of the piston rod 38 and are pivoted thereto by a pivot pin 128. The pump handle 120 extends from the pivot pin 122 in a generally horizontal direction to the end of the tank and then downwardly, terminating in a hand gripping portion 130.

A locking lug 132 (Figs. 1 and 2) is bolted or otherwise secured to the pump and valve body and includes an ear 134 adjacent to the pump handle 129 when the pump handle is in its lowered position. The handle 12% has an opening 136 therein that is brought into alignment with a corresponding opening in the ear 134 for receiving a padlock to lock the pump handle in that position. The valve handle 110 may be oscillated approximately 45 in either direction from its central or neutral position, and has a pair of stop projections 140 (Fig. 8) designed to engage the arms 118118 to limit the angular movement of the valve handle, thereby limiting the angular movement of the valve disc 84. The valve handle 110 is bifurcated at its outer end to provide two arms 138- 138 between which the pump handle 120 moves when the valve handle is in its neutral position. If the pump handle 120 is moved to its lowered position while the valve handle is in its neutral position and is then locked in that position it thereby locks the valve handle in its neutral position.

An explanation will now be given of the mode of operation of the pump above described. With the pump handle 121} unpadlooked, the pump handle is raised, thereby raising the pump piston 36 and forcing the liquid which is above the piston through the slots 5656 and the groove 53 to the port 60. At this time it is assumed that the valve .disc 84 is in its neutral position. In this position the valve disc closes the ports 64 and 76. It also closes the ports '77 and 78. Pressure therefore builds up at the port on until it is relieved by opening of the check valve '70 that takes place when the pressure reaches one thousand pounds per square inch. The operator then turns the valve handle 110 either to a switch closed position or to .a switch open position, indicated by the legends shown in Fig. 1. When the valve handle is in the switch open position, the valve disc 84 connects the discharge port 64 to the port 77, thereby discharging into the pipe 81, and at the same time connects the port 76 to the port 78, thereby allowing the return flow of oil from the pipe 82 to the port 76 to discharge into the tank 2. If the valve handle 110 is turned in the opposite direction to its switch closed position, the valve disc establishes communication between the ports 64 and 78 and between the ports 77' and 76, whereby the pump discharges into the pipe 82 and communication is established for the return flow ofoil from the pipe 81 into the tank.

The above-described pump and valve unit is simple and economical in construction, is convenient and eificient-in its operation, and requires a minimum of main-- tenance. Various modifications of the above-described apparatus may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

-What is claimed is:

l. A hydraulic pumping apparatus comprising a pump and valve body having a hollow body portion and a head portion forming a valve seat, said head portion having at least three bores opening into said valve seat, at least two hydraulic lines communicating with two of said bores, and the third bore communicating with said hollow portion of said pump and valve body, means in said hollow body portion for forcing liquid under pressure into said third bore, a valve member movable on said valve seat and having bores opening toward said valve seat which are spaced to communicate with different ones of the bores in said head portion, said valve member having at least one passage communicating between two of the bores therein for directing fluid from said third bore to either one of said other two bores, whereby the fluid is directed to one of said hydraulic lines depending upon the rotary position of said valve member, and means for moving said valve member on the valve seat, whereby the respective bores therein may overlie selectively different ones of the bore openings, in said head portion to control the selection of the hydraulic line to be used as an outlet line.

2. A hydraulic pumping apparatus comprising a pump and valve body having a hollow portion constituting a pumping chamber and a head portion forming a valve seat, a valve member resting movably on said valve seat, said pump and valve body and said valve member having' a plurality of bores opening into opposing surfaces thereof, said bores constituting passageways for the flow of a fluid to be pumped, means in said hollow portion of said pump and valve body for forcing fluid under pressure into said head. portion, said last means including a check valve controlling the flow of fluid into said pumping chamber, said check valve being spaced from the said valve member, and means for moving said valve member on said valve seat to vary the path of the flow of the fluid to be pumped. 1

3. by said means in said hollow body portion including a piston movable in said hollow body portion and a piston rod for reciprocating thepiston to cause fluid to flow under pressure, said piston rod extending through an opening. in said head portion of said pump and valve body and in said valve member.

4. The combination of claim 2 characterized further by a tank for storing the fluid to be pumped,- said tank having an opening in the walls thereof, and-means mounting said hydraulic pumping apparatus to said tank with the saidhollow body portion of said pumping apparatus extending into said tank opening.

I 5. The combination of claim 2 characterized further by a stationaryvalve coveroverlying said rotatable valve member, said valve cover resting on said head portion of said pump and valve body and including a ball bearing race in the portion thereof opposite the valve member, and ball bearings in the race compressed between the valve cover and the valve member, whereby the valve member is held tightly in its valve seat to prevent leakage of fluid therebetween and yet be relatively easy to move when a change of position thereof is desired.

6. A unitary pump and valve structure comprising a pump mechanism having a piston cylinder and a piston in said cylinder, a piston rod connected to said piston for reciprocating same within said cylinder for causing fluid to be pumped thereby under pressure, a valve including a rotatable member having openings for communicating with said pump cylinder in at least two diflerent rotary positions thereof, a plurality of alternate fluid discharge paths having respective entry-ways located for separate connection with said piston cylinder through said valve openings, and means for rotating said rotatable valve member to a select one of a plurality of rotary he combination of claim 2 characterized further positions for directing the fluid to be pumped to one of the entry-waysv of said .plurality of alternate fluid discharge paths, said rotatable member surrounding said piston rod and being rotatable relative thereto.

7. The combination of claim 6 characterized further by a tank for storing the fluid to be pumped, said tank having an opening in the walls thereof, and means rernovably mounting said unitary pump and valve structure to said tank with a portion of said pump mechanism extending into said tank opening.

1 8. A hydraulic pumping apparatus comprising a hollow body member, a valve seat on said body member, said body member having at least three bores opening into said valve seat, only one of said latter bores communicating directly with the hollow portion of said body member, a pumping mechanism in said hollow portion of theibody member for pumping fluid under pressure to said latter bore, said body member having respective outlet ports communicating with the other two bore thereof, a rotatable valve member resting on said valve seat and having bores therein with openings facing said valve seat which are spaced to overlie the said openings of the bores of the body member in at least two positions thereof, said valve member completely covering the openings of said latter bores in a third position thereof, said valve member having at least one cross bore located entirely within said valve member and communicating between two of the bores therein for directing fluid from said one bore of said body member to one of the other two bores thereof, and means for selectively moving said valve member into any one of said three positions.

9. The combination of claim 8 characterized further by said latter means including locking means for simultaneously locking said pumping mechanism and said valve member in said third position.

10. In combination, a .fluid pressure pump, a valve for controlling the flow of fluid from said pump movable between at least two operating positions of which a first position allows the flow of fluid from said pump and a second position prevents said fluid flow, means for mounting said valve to said pump to form a unitary structure therewith, and means for simultaneously locking said valve in said second position and rendering said pump inoperative.

11. In combination, a fluid pressure pump including a piston cylinder, a piston movable within said cylinder, a piston rod connected to said piston for reciprocating said piston within said cylinder, and a handle connected to the end of the piston rod for operating the piston rod; a valve member surrounding said piston rod and mounted on the pump to form a unitary structure therewith; said valve member having a rotatable control member mov-' able between at least two positions, one of said positions allowing fluid to flow from said pump to a system connected therewith and a second position preventing said fluid flow, said control member having a projecting portron extending adjacent to said pump handle when said valve is in said second position and limited in its movement by said pump handle, and means for locking the pump handle, thereby also limiting the movement of said valve member.

12. Hydraulic valve apparatus comprising a rotatable valve member having passageways therein, a support member for, said rotatable valve member forming a seat for said valve and including passageways therein for directing the flow of fluid into and out of said passageways in said rotatable valve member, the passageways of said support member opening into said valve seat, the passageways of said rotatable valve member having openings opposite said valve seat to overlie the openings in said support member in one or more positions thereof, a stationary valve cover overlying said rotatable valve member and resting on said support member, a ball bearmg raceway in the portion of said valve cover opposite the rotatable valve member, and ball hearings in said raceway compressed between the said valve cover and the rotatable valve member, whereby the rotatable valve member is held tightly in its valve seat to prevent leakage of fluid therebetween and yet be relatively easy to move when a change in position thereof is desired.

13. The combination of claim 12 characterized further by said valve cover being made of a softer material than the rotatable valve member.

14. The combination of claim 12 characterized further by one. of said valve covers and said valve member being made of a softer material than said ball bearings.

15. A pumping apparatus comprising a pump and valve body having a pumping chamber and a. valve chamber therein and also being provided with a passage opening at one end to the valve chamber on one Wall of said valve chamber thereof and opening to the pump chamber at the other end thereof, said body also being provided with a pair of passages opening on said wall of said valve chamber, means for pumping liquid from the pumping chamber through the first passage, a movable valve member mounted on said wall of said valve chamber and having a passageway therethrough, said valve member being movable between a position in which the passageway therein connects the first passage and one of said pair of passages and a position in which the passageway connects the first passage to the other of said pair of passages, means selectively operable for moving the valve member to said positions, and thrust means for pressing said valve member against said wall of the valve chamber.

16. The combination of claim 15 characterized further by said thrust means including a stationary cover plate for said valve member adjustable toward and away from said wall and a plurality of ball bearings mounted be-- tween said plate and said valve member.

17. The combination of claim 15 characterized further by said valve member including a raceway on the side thereof opposite to said wall and said thrust means including a plurality of ball bearings mounted in said raceway, a plate having a raceway for said ball bearings therein and adjustable means for pressing the plate toward the valve member, one of said valve members and said plate being composed of material softer than the material of which the ball bearings are composed.

18. A unitary valve and pump, which comprises a cylinder having a bore and a counterbore therein and also being, provided with a discharge passage extending from the bore to the bottom of the counterbore, said cylinder also having a pair of additional passages opening onto spaced portions of the bottom of the counterbore, a piston slidable in the bore, a piston rod extending through the counterbore into the bore for reciprocating the piston in the bore, means positioned above the inlet to the discharge passage for sealing the piston rod to the cylinder, an annular valve disc fitting rotatably into the counterbore and designed to fit against the bottom of the counterbore, said disc having a passageway opening ontothe bottom of the counterbore at least at both ends thereof, the length of the passageway in the disc and the distance from each of said additional passages to said discharge passage being equal, means connected to the disc for rotating it selectively to a position in which the passageway therein connects the discharge passage to one of said additional passages and a position in which the passageway connects the discharge passage to the other of said additional passages, an annular cover, adjustable means for pressing the cover toward the bottom of the counterbore, a plurality of ball bearings mounted between the cover and the valve disc, and means for reciprocating the piston rod.

19. The combination of claim 18 characterized further by the ball bearings being composed of a material harder than the material of which one of the valve discs and the cover are composed so that the ball bearings roll. a raceway into that element;

20. The combination of claim 18 characterized further by the disc-rotating means also beingdesigned to rotate the disc .to a third position in which the passageway therein. does not connect the discharge passage to either of.

said additional passages and. the disc-rotating means and the piston rod-reciprocating means including means for interlocking both of said last mentioned means in inoperativepositions.

21. In combination, a pump having an operating handle, a valve including an operating handle for controlling the position of said valve member to control the flow of fluid from said pump, said valve being movable between at least two operating positions at which a first position allows the flow of fluid from said pump and in a second position prevents said fluid flow, means for mounting said valve member to said pump to form a unitary structure therewith, and fastening means for locking said pump operating handle in place and simultaneously preventing movement of said valve operating handle from one of said positions to another.

22. Pumping apparatus comprising a pump and valve body having a hollow portion constituting a pumping chamber and a head portion forming a valve seat, a movable. valve member resting on said valve seat, said pump and valve body and said valve member having a plurality of bores opening into said valve seat, a fluid discharge line communicating with at least one of said bores in said valve body, a passageway in said pump and valve body communicating between the hollow portion of said pump and valve vody and one of the other bores in said pump and valve body, a passageway located entirely within said valve member communicating. between at leastv two bores in said valve member, said last mentioned two bores in said valve member being spaced to overlie, respectively, the bore in said pump and valve body communicating with said passageway therein and With the bore communicating with said fluid dicharge line, means in said hollow portion of said pump and valve body for forcing fluid under pressure into said passageway in said pump andvalve body, and means for moving said valve member on said valve seat.

23. The combination of claim 22 characterized further by said means in said hollow portion including a piston movable in said hollow portion and a piston. rod for reciprocating the piston .to cause fluid to flow under pressure, said piston rod extending. through an: opening in said head portion of said pump and valve body and in said valve member.

24. The combination of claim. 22 characterized further by a, tank for storing the fluid to be pumped, said tank having an opening in the walls thereof, and means mounting said hydraulic pumping apparatus to said tank with the said hollow portion of said pumping apparatus extending into said tank opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name. Date 728,526 Wantz May 19, 1903 987,962 Courtney Mar. 28, 1911 1,706,456 Marcus Mar. 26, 1929 

